TWO men who rowed across the Atlantic to raise money for Bristol Zoo have handed over a cheque for £7,000.

James Burge and Niall McCann spent 69 days in their tiny two-man boat – named Komale after the zoo's youngest gorilla – crossing 3,000 miles of open ocean to raise funds for primate projects in Africa.

The pair, who were Evening Post Gold Star winners in February, battled giant waves, terrible weather conditions and exhaustion during the 2007 Atlantic Rowing Race, finally landing in Antigua in February after setting out from the Canary Islands last December.

Now the adventurers have returned to Bristol Zoo, where their rowing boat is on show and up for sale, and presented staff with the £7,000 they raised from their expedition, which will support projects in Cameroon to care for orphaned baby gorillas and chimpanzees.

Niall, 27, of Old Market, said: "I'm delighted to hand this cheque to Bristol Zoo.

"We decided we wanted to support the zoo's primate projects almost as soon as we had confirmed our entry in the race.

"It has been a great pleasure to work with the staff at Bristol Zoo and the Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund throughout our training and preparation, and our charity fundraising was never far from our minds while we were on the Atlantic itself."

James, 27, of Kingswood, said: "Making the Atlantic crossing was a massive achievement and an experience that will stay with me forever.

"Now being able to hand over this money that we have worked so hard for is a very satisfying feeling."

Dr Bryan Carroll, deputy director of Bristol Zoo Gardens, praised their efforts on behalf of the zoo.

He said: "Niall's and James's achievement is a huge accomplishment and something they should be very proud of.

"We are hugely grateful for their fundraising efforts as well as the fantastic job they have done in highlighting the vital work of our primate projects in Cameroon."

The intrepid pair now have their eyes on future adventures.

James is planning a 200km trek through the Amazon and Niall is now continuing his work alongside Bristol Zoo by starting a PhD studying gorillas, with Cardiff University.